Apple Introduces New Low-End iMac for $1099

The rumors were right, in a way. We got a new iMac, but it wasn’t quite what people were expecting. The previous 4 members of the iMac line retain their specs and price points, but are joined by a new low-end 21.5″ model. The low-end iMac has specifications similar to the refresh of the MacBook Air. It has a 1.4GHz Core i5 with Turbo boost up to 2.7GHz, Intel HD 5000 graphics, 8GB of memory, and a 500GB mechanical hard drive. This can be upgraded to a 1TB drive for $50 or your choice of a 1TB fusion drive or a 256GB SSD for $250. The new iMac configuration starts at $1099. That’s $200 cheaper than the previous entry level machine. Unlike previous attempts at a low-end iMac, this one does not skimp on the modern i/O. You have 4 USB 3.0 ports, twin Thunderbolt ports, gigabit Ethernet, an SDXC card reader, and 802.11AC Wireless.

I know everyone was hoping for an full line update, but it seems Apple has filled a more mainstream niche instead. It’s got decent specs for a kid-of-non-techy-parents computer. What do you guys think of the new entry level iMac? Let us know below in the comments or on social media.

About Benjamin J. Roethig

Ben is an external Associate Editor at Geek Beat. He can be described connoisseur of things technological. Ben's hobbies include reading up on Military, Naval, and Aeronautical history, playing around with his Macs and iDevices, exploring the mountainous bluffs of Dubuque, IA and Galena, IL, and proving that 15+ years of practice does not make perfect on his guitars. If you want to find him Ben can be found on Twitter (@benroethig), Google (gplus.to/benroethig), and as an occasional guest on Apple related podcasts.